Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Bleach belongs to the mastermind, Kubo Tite.
For the Sake of Remembering
Painted Tyrant
Ganju had asked him why he was going after Rukia.
The answer, of course, was a simple one, one that he rehearsed everyday. Ichigo was indebted to her.
She had risked her spiritual powers just to save his family, a family she had just met. Because of this, she was going to be executed. And Ichigo wasn't planning on letting that happen. At least, not as long as he was still able to stand and continue wielding his zanpaku sword.
There was another reason though, he was afraid. After his mother's death six years ago, Ichigo's memory of her began to fade. He could no longer remember the sound of her voice or the smell of her hair when she tucked him into bed at night. Minor details, but they were important to him. He wanted to remember. Her appearance wasn't a problem; his father had put up a huge poster of her on the living room wall. However, there were so many other things he wanted to remember.
What did her hands feel like when he held on to them? He didn't know.
What did her hugs feel like when she picked him up from school? He didn't know.
What did her cooking taste like when they ate dinner together? He didn't know.
But he wanted to know.
Sometimes, he would look back to the times when Rukia was there by his side or there in his closet. And when he did, he would find that her face was becoming a blur, and that, every passing day, it would be harder to remember. When he looked back to his times with Rukia, he would find that they were fading.
He could remember what they did together, although not really.
He could remember her voice, although only sometimes.
He could remember her smile, although barely.
And he wanted to remember.
Ganju had asked him why he was going after Rukia.
The answer wasn't as simple as it seemed.